The big winners in the spring edition of the Dream Lottery were announced at the North London dream home Thursday morning.
Starting at 8:30 a.m., officials from the lottery and representatives from local hospital foundations announced the winners of the four top prizes, including the 50/50 Plus jackpot, the Ultimate Grand Prize, and two Gear Up Giveaways.
READ MORE: Winners of London’s Dream Lottery to be announced Thursday morning
The official draws took place before Thursday morning’s announcement.
First to be announced was the winner of the 50/50 Plus jackpot, worth over $900,000. Officials called Elizabeth’s Garcia of Dorchester, who will take home $456,382.50.
“It’s something that you dream about, that you get this phone call that you’ve won a lottery, but you really don’t believe it,” said Garcia, who came to the Dream Lottery dream home after she found out she won.
“I was just so excited.”
Garcia said it was the first time she bought tickets to the London Dream Lottery. She and her husband, Tony, recently moved to the London area after living in Nova Scotia.
Garcia said she recently had hip replacement surgery at London’s University Hospital, so she first-hand experience of the care available in the Forest City that funds from the Dream Lottery contribute to.
The winner of the Ultimate Grand Prize was Dermot Brennan of St. Thomas. When officials reached Brennan by phone, he was shocked.
“Oh, my god!,” he exclaimed.
Brennan was out of the province when he received the call. When he returns home, he will get to choose between a Port Stanley dream condo at the beach with $100,000 cash and a Jaguar F-type convertible, a North London dream home with cash for a year of first-class living and a Land Rover Evoque convertible, or $1 million.
Other winners include Ken McCann of London, who won the Gear Up Giveaway #1, which includes a choice between one of four vehicles or $40,000 cash. Richard Shildrick of London won Gear Up Giveaway #2. He will get to choose between a Harley Davidson motorcycle, an ATV, or $8,000.
“This is so special for two reasons,” said John MacFarlane, president and CEO of London Health Sciences Foundation.
“One, we’re going to change somebody’s life forever with these prizes, but perhaps more importantly, we’re going to change so many other lives in the community because of the monies that are raised through this lottery program.”
Funds raised from the Dream Lottery go to support local hospitals and are used for innovative technology equipment, groundbreaking research, and continuing training and educations for healthcare professionals.
The Dream Lottery has raised over $30 million since 1996.
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